Ephod

An ephod (pronounced either ē´fod or ef´od) was a type of object in ancient Israelite culture, and was closely connected with oracular practices. In the Books of Samuel, David is described as wearing one when dancing in the presence of the Ark of the Covenant, [2 Samuel 6:14] and one is described as standing in the sanctuary at Nob, with a sword behind it; [1 Samuel 21:9] in the book of Exodus and in Leviticus one is described as being created for the Kohen Gadol (Jewish High Priest) to wear as part of his official vestments; [Exodus 28:4+, 29:5, 39:2+; Leviticus 8:7] in the Book of Judges, Gideon and Micah each made one from molten gold, and Gideon's was worshipped. [Judges 8:26-27] [Judges 17:5]

Within the Bible, in the contexts where it is worn, the Ephod is usually described as being linen, but did not constitute complete clothing of any kind, as the Books of Samuel describe Michal as taunting David for indecently exposing himself by wearing one. [Cheyne and Black, "Encyclopedia Biblica"] Specifically, David is described as "girding" himself with an Ephod, but since "girding" is a term used in Biblical Hebrew only to describe binding something around the loins, and since when Samuel is described as girding himself with an ephod, his tunic is mentioned separately, it would appear to have been something like a loincloth, girdle, or swordbelt. [ibid] There appears to have been a strong religious and ceremonial implication to wearing an Ephod, since the eighty five priests at Nob are specifically identified as being the type of people who wore an Ephod; ["Jewish Encyclopedia"] though the masoretic text here describes them as being "linen ephods", [1 Samuel 22:18] the word "linen" is not present in the Septuagint version of the passage, nor is it present when the Septuagint describes David and Samuel as girding themselves with an Ephod, and textual scholars regard its presence in the masoretic text as a later editorial gloss. ["Jewish Encyclopedia"]

A passage in the Book of Exodus describes the Ephod as an elaborate garment worn by the high priest, and upon which the Hoshen (breastplate), containing Urim and Thummim, rested. According to this description, the Ephod was woven out of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet threads, was made of fine linen, and was embroidered "with cunning work" in gold thread; [).

The object at Nob, which must have been somewhat freestanding since another object is kept behind it, and the objects made by Gideon and by Micah, from molten gold, logically cannot have just been garments. [Cheyne and Black, "Encyclopedia Biblica"] ["Jewish Encyclopedia"] The object made by Gideon is plainly described as having been worshipped, and therefore the idol of some deity (possibly of Yahweh), while the object made by Micah is closely associated with a Teraphim, and the Ephod and Teraphim are described interchangeably with the Hebrew terms "pesel" and "massekah", meaning "graven image", and "molten image", respectively. [Cheyne and Black, "Encyclopedia Biblica"] ["Jewish Encyclopedia"] Even the Ephods used for oracular purposes were not necessarily just pieces of cloth, as they are not described as being worn, but carried (though some translations render 1 Samuel 2:28 as "... wear an Ephod ..." rather than "... carry an Ephod ..." ["Peake's commentary on the Bible"] ); the Hebrew term used in these passages for "carry" is "nasa", which specifically implies that the Ephod was carried either in the hand or on the shoulder. ["Jewish Encyclopedia"] The conclusion thus is that "Ephod", in these cases, referred to a portable idol, which the lots were cast in front of; [Cheyne and Black, "Encyclopedia Biblica"] ["Jewish Encyclopedia"] some scholars have suggested that the connection between the idol and the garment is that the idol was originally clothed in a linen garment, and the term "Ephod" gradually came to describe the idol as a whole. [ibid]

Interestingly, according to the Talmud, the wearing of the ephod atoned for the sin of idolatry on the part of the Children of Israel. [Babylonian Talmud, "Zevachim" 88:B]

References

ee also

*Tetzaveh
*Michnasayim
*Ketonet
*Avnet (kohen)
*Mitznefet
*Me'il
*Hoshen
*Tzitz

External links

* [http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=401&letter=E&search=ephod Ephod]
* [http://www.templeinstitute.org/vessels_gallery_16.htm Recreation of the Ephod]
* [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05497a.htm Catholic Encyclopedia - Ephod]
* [http://bible.gospelcom.net/cgi-bin/bible?search=Ephod&x=13&y=7&SearchType=AND&version=NASB&restrict=&StartRestrict=&EndRestrict=&rpp=25&language=english&searchpage=0 Verses where Ephod occurs (NASB)]